Hey all! I'm back (finally)!

I hope you all noticed that I've made a few minor changes to the story, changed the girls' personalities a bit. I started writing this when I was in my early teens, so I've been trying to edit the story to make Sarah and Natalie sound more like they're 18 rather than 13 xD.

If you want, I'd encourage going back and reading the whole story through again. You'll also (hopefully) notice that there are (hopefully) much fewer grammatical errors.

Enjoy! And please give me some reviews (I do love reading them 3)!

Chapter 20

The Realm Between Realms (continued)

He was so ashamed of himself…how could he let himself act like that?! How could he think that his stupid plan would actually work!? What was wrong with him?!

Hiei blindly rushed through the trees, fighting back his frustration and hurt.

* * *

Kurama tried desperately to soothe Natalie and keep up with the others at the same time. Sarah had taken off again as soon as she had finished speaking to Hiei. The Youko inside him was livid with rage at what Sarah had done to his friend, his lover, and himself. But…it hadn't been Sarah! The Phoenix had just said so herse-…itself. The redhead began to grind his teeth in anger and irritation. Why hadn't he seen this coming?! How could he be so blind as to miss this? The signs had been everywhere and yet he was so preoccupied with his love for Natalie that it was as though he had been completely oblivious to everything else.

Stupid!

Maybe this was why so many demons stay away from love. From any true affection.

But he wasn't a demon. Not really. He had human morals, human blood, and a human upbringing. Sure, he had the ki of the demon fox but he himself was not of demon heritage. The embryo he had stolen – the body he had taken – was human, and therefore so was his heart and mind. He would not sacrifice that. Yes, he would have to deal with painful emotions. And maybe he would make stupid mistakes like this. But he knew that he was more powerful for having his human heart.

Even so, he knew that it was no excuse for blocking out the rest of the world.

He noticed that Natalie hadn't said anything in a while and he peered over his own shoulder. The girl was looking ahead, eyes glazed over and distant. Her mind was in shock…and there wasn't a damn thing Kurama could do about it. He snarled quietly at himself and bit down on his tongue.

They all ran like that for hours. Natalie didn't so much as cough, and no one else said anything. Kurama and Yusuke were having a mental conversation (mainly Yusuke ranting about how he was going show "that little runt" what for) when the Phoenix stopped short, the wind she had created rushing past her. The guys stopped a few feet behind her and waited.

"…Why'd we stop?" asked Kuwabara after 7 minutes of standing there.

The Phoenix said nothing.

"…Don't you feel that? It's…" Yusuke's voice trailed off, not finding the right word to finish his sentence with.

"It feels….quiet." Kurama stepped forward to stand next to Sarah's body. Without saying anything and without looking at any of them, she put her arms straight out to the side and just…fell. About a foot before she hit the ground, she disappeared. With a look to each member on the team, Kurama followed suit with Natalie still on his back. The same thing happened to him, and everyone else followed him.

On the other side of whatever portal they had found was something that looked like the inside of a volcano, but without the boiling hot molten rock below them. The brownish-gray rock surrounding them formed several paths, caves and walls. They were completely enclosed in some underground labyrinth, and from the power emanating in the very air, they were getting close to their goal.

A demon came into view several feet ahead of them. The group stopped and waited, ready for an attack.

The demon smiled. "Do not worry. I am not here to fight. The mistress sent me to welcome you. However, you are three days early, and the mistress needs a little extra time before she can--" He was cut off as the Phoenix gripped him by the throat and held him up in the air.

"She can see us now."

To everyone's surprise, the demon chuckled when released and said "The mistress expected this sort of behavior from her daughter." He bowed. "Follow me."

We did. The Phoenix led the way after the demon servant. Natalie lagged behind with Kurama a bit.

"Where are we?"

"To be honest…I'm uncertain. This isn't a part of the Makai…at least, I don't think it is. I've never been here before. The energy is completely different."

"Then why is a demon here?"

"Probably a captive servant," Kurama suggested.

"Oh…are we in danger?"

"…I don't know. It all depends on exactly what this woman wants. She may let us go, or she may not." Seeing the look on his mate's face, he added "I will keep you safe." Natalie seemed unconvinced…

Meanwhile, Hiei simply followed, staring at the back of the Phoenix's head, unable to care about anything that was happening. Yusuke was eyeing his surroundings, trying to figure out where they were and exactly what they needed to expect. Kuwabara was studying the servant. The Phoenix stared straight ahead.

After they had walked for about 10 minutes, taking rights and lefts and secret passages and trap doors, they arrived at a large room….a very large room. This room alone was at least three times as big as Genkai's entire temple, and 4 times as high. At the other end of it, they saw a regal, beautiful, enchanting woman clothed in gold and crimson on a modest, cushioned throne. As they drew nearer, they saw that she had long, black hair, soft, white skin, and a tall, full figure. Her face, though…her face was the mirror image of Sarah's. The only difference was the pair of cold, piercing golden eyes leering down at them from behind long, elegant lashes. Other than her eyes and almost glowing skin, though, she looked perfectly human.

Hiei's eyes darkened as he searched the room, finding it void of any trace of his sister.

Once the woman's gaze caught the Phoenix's, she stood and walked slowly over. It looked as though she was examining the younger girl…and she was. She leaned in close, grabbed the younger girl's chin, and said "Let me speak to her."

"…"

"Let me speak to my daughter. Now."

And something happened. The Phoenix grimaced in pain.

***

I watched through my own captured eyes as the beautiful woman walked up to me and looked me up and down. She grabbed my chin and said "Let me speak to her."

"YES!! LET ME OUT!"

She bored into me with her eyes. "Let me speak to my daughter. Now."

I screamed in rage and desperation, looking for a way out. It was now or never. I had to get out…I had to…

I threw my pain out and forced it into the Phoenix's body. My body. What should be my body. And I felt myself rise, as if being lifted out of a hole in the ground. And suddenly…

***

They all watched as the Phoenix stopped twitching in pain and looked silently at the queen-like lady. The older woman's look softened.

"Welcome home, my love."

The daughter stood still, staring straight into the woman's eyes. "…You tried to kill me." Everyone gawked at the speaker, whose eyes now shown with emotion, a dark, stormy blue. "They told me so. You tried to kill me when you found out I had the Phoenix in me." There was no mistaking it. That was Sarah's voice. Hiei took a step forward, but was held back by the redhead.

The woman looked startled at the accusation. "I never! How could you-…I never did such a thing…I couldn't!"

Seeing this powerful creature flustered was more than a little unnerving for everyone, but not as much as the tears now developing in her golden eyes.

"King Yama certainly thinks you did," said Sarah, voice choking with harsh emotion.

"King Yama is a power-hungry old fool who has never been able to keep his stories straight!"

"Then why did my father take me to a different dimens-"

"Your father stole you from me!" the woman seethed.

Everyone was silent, unsure of what to think, waiting for what would happen next.

The woman took a breath and closed her eyes, waiting until she was calm. Then, she began again.

"Your father…he wanted your power. He stole you…told me he wanted to take you to see his parents. You were human, I was not. I couldn't follow into your world…my power comes at that price. He knew that once he was there, I wouldn't be able to protect you myself. But the second I discovered his real plan…to kill you and steal the power…I sent Zuro to protect you. He poisoned your father after hiding you, but when he returned, you had been taken in by a human adoption agency and had found a family. Zuro figured you'd be safer in that world…and I agreed. Nothing but simple humans in it. But I had him keep an eye on you, protect you when necessary. But there were some things he couldn't protect you from…I saw through his eyes whenever you had a premonition. Saw the pain and the hopelessness and desperation…it killed me every time. I hated it. But you must understand. Even though I couldn't be a true part of your life, I truly do love you…please believe me. Please…"

"…I…..I don't know that I can. I just….I just don't know. Not yet…I need to know more. Need more time…and who exactly is Zuro?"

"He is a blue fox demon…your friend killed him a few weeks ago."

Everyone turned to Natalie, who was wide-eyed with mouth agape. "I didn't…I swear I…I didn't know…He was attacking us!"

"Attacking you?! I saw the whole thing! That purple-haired samurai attacked him without provocation and Yuri protected himself. His orders were to track you down and escort you here. Alone."

Natalie looked dumbstruck. "But…he looked…he killed Shishi."

"What would you have done if someone had tried to kill you?!" The beautiful woman had such a tone of disgust that she truly sounded as though she were scolding a child…not at all like she'd just lost a precious comrade.

I stepped forward. "You don't seem too upset by the fact that he's dead…you just seem annoyed that Natalie isn't agreeing with you." She just looked at me.

"…Forgive me if I don't show grief the same way your kind does. Make no mistake, Zuro was family and a dear friend and servant."

"Then show it." I felt little sympathy for her. "Why didn't he just TELL us that he wanted to take me alive?!"

"YOU DIDN'T GIVE HIM THE CHANCE! That idiot just started slashing!"

I grimaced and clenched my hands. So we had killed a man who meant no harm. Yes, he killed Shishi, but he wouldn't have if Shishi hadn't made the first move.

"….He called me Meeha…is that my real name?"

"Yes...I named you after myself. My real name, that is. The name I am known by, however, is Charia."

So at least we knew that, now.

This entire time, I'd been fighting to keep my mind from being penetrated. I knew who it was, but I didn't want to talk to him until I could do so face to face. "Charia, then…why did you kidnap Yukina? Doesn't exactly seem like an innocent move."

"Simply an extra precaution. She has been treated with respect and is living peacefully and happily in our aviary. You probably noticed that I used special protections."

"The same kind her first kidnapper used. Why would you implement those if you wanted us to find you?"

Charia sighed. "We used them for her protection. Even here, she is a high-quality target for the greedier demons."

It all made sense…surprisingly enough, it made sense to me. I had never even considered that my mother wouldn't be the enemy…that my father was. And yet, everything she was saying worked. But…

"Then why did you want me here so badly? Badly enough to kidnap someone, send all kinds of messengers, and threaten people. You sent such a horrible message…you threatened to kill Yukina if I was late. Would you have done it?"

"Of course. I do not go back on my word."

This shook me. She said this with such nonchalance…I heard Hiei snarl behind me, his mind still trying to get through to mine.

"…How? How could you be willing to kill an innocent young girl for something as petty as tardiness?..."

"Meeha…("My name is Sarah. Not Meeha.") When you have been alive as long as I have, lives do not hold nearly as much importance as they do when you are young. Even my own life means little to me anymore. But I have not even reached my middle-aged years yet, and I cannot be killed."

"What do you mean you cannot be kille-?"

"You have all come a long way. I'm sure that the humans at the very least are exhausted. You'll find rooms have already been set up for each of you. Knab will take you there." As she said this, the servant entered the room again and led the group out. I started to follow, again trying to get to Hiei, but Meeha…er…Charia...stopped me again. "I'd like to have a word with you alone…it's been so long. I want to know more. I've seen everything that's happened in your world, but I couldn't keep an eye on you in this world, ironically."

"But--"

"Now, now, you'll be able to catch up with your friends later. But right now, I'd really like some quality time with my only daughter…"

I could only oblige.

***

Hiei was absolutely seething. Why hadn't she let him in?! And what the hell was wrong with that woman?! But he couldn't think about that anymore. He had to find Yukina. The talismans would still block her from his Eye, but he could smell her this time. The others were still following the servant to their rooms. He told Kurama what he was doing and left, not wanting the oaf to follow him.

He set off, retracing his steps until he was back at the large doors where Sarah and her mother still were. His sensitive ears caught a snippet of conversation as he passed. Sarah was yelling, but soon went silent…

He fought the urge to stay and see what was happening. He absolutely had to find Yukina as soon as possible. Soon, he heard the distantly raucous sound of hundreds or thousands of birds chirping and followed that, remembering what the woman had said.

There it was. The aviary. And sitting serenely in the middle of a small cloud of birds was his sister. She was okay. And she looked happy…that was all he needed to know.

He turned to go back to the group, but—

"Hiei?"

Hmmm...whyever did I leave off here?! Could it be....could it be that Hiei's secret will be revealed to Yukina in the next chapter??? OH NO! And what's going on between Sarah and her mother at the moment?...Scary to think about, no?

Well, the more reviews I get, the sooner the next chapter will come up! Let's say...10 reviews minimum?

Til next time! 3